March 2009

March 16, 2009

As much as Jerry Jones loves his Hogs, it's best he stay away from the most recent ex-Hog who hit the street today.Former Arkansas quarterback turned Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Matt Jones was cut on Monday, the team announced.He had been charged with cocaine possession back in July; he was suspended for the final three games of the 2008 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 13.Texans Longhorn fans remember Jones as the elusive, talented QB for Arkansas who gave the fighting Mack Brown's fits in Austin. The NFL people fell in love with Jones because he's 6-foot-6, 218 pounds, athletic and could run. He was moved to receiver before the draft in 2005. But the talent and the frame never did match the production.In 54 games with the Jags, Jones caught 166 passes for 2,153 yards and 15 touchdowns.If Jones had been cut one year ago, when the Cowboys were taking "calculated risks" on Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson and others, I would have said the team would have rolled the dice on Matt Jones, too.Now, given how the team has cleaned house and suddenly become tough on crime, I would be floored to see Jones given a shot by the Cowboys ... even though Jerry loves his Hogs.

March 13, 2009

The Cowboys don't need wide receivers, Jerry Jones says, so they wouldn't have any interest in Torry Holt.

The St. Louis Rams released him on Friday, parting ways with one of the last remaining holdovers from their "Greatest Show on Turf" glory days.

The move came three days after the Rams released offensive tackle Orlando Pace, another mainstay from the era when the Rams won their only Super Bowl and lost another on the game's final play.

Holt is 32 and Pace is 33 and combined the moves created $14 million in salary cap space. Holt would have received a $1.25 million roster bonus Tuesday.

Only defensive end Leonard Little and quarterback Marc Bulger remain from the team that lost Super Bowl 36 in 2002 to the Patriots, and Bulger was an inactive third-string quarter for every game that season.

The Rams are trying to get younger as they rebuild after going 2-14 in 2008 and 5-27 over the last two seasons. Since the end of last season they've named a new general manager, Billy Devaley, a new coach, Steve Spagnuolo, cut several veteran players and signed three free agents from other teams.

March 12, 2009

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says drafting a wide receiver isn’t a priority this year, even after the departure of Terrell Owens.

“One of the reasons that I made the decision on Terrell Owens was because I thought so much of our young receivers. Not only Roy Williams ... but our other young receivers — Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, those are guys that will now have a chance,” Jones said Thursday night in Little Rock, Ark. “It would really have to be a real opportunity for us to go there.

“The good news with our team right now is we can go about any direction we want to in the draft and pick the best player.”

Owens was released last week and later signed with the Buffalo Bills. Jones, a former Arkansas Razorbacks player, was in Little Rock to be honored by Easter Seals as its 2009 Arkansan of the Year. He was accompanied by three Cowboys: quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and running back Felix Jones.

There were reports of a rift last season between Romo, Witten and Owens. Reporters were not permitted to talk to Romo or Witten on Thursday night.

Jerry Jones did speak briefly to reporters about next season.

“We’ve got a great core base put together. We’ve made some changes in the offseason. We think that’s going to really be very helpful — both sides of the ball and on special teams,” he said. “We’ve got a chance to get as many as nine players in the draft, and we’ll need about 80 percent of those to be players.”

For Bills fans filling out their programs: Yes, folks, T.O. will be No. 81.

The Buffalo Bills said Thursday that newly signed receiver Terrell Owens will be getting his familiar number, and that second-year receiver James Hardy will be switching to No. 84.

Hardy, the team’s second-round draft pick out of Indiana last year, wore No. 81 during his rookie season.

It’s unclear whether Hardy will be compensated by Owens to switch numbers. In the past, veteran players joining new teams have been known to pay for or provide compensation for the right to switch numbers.

Owens has worn No. 81 throughout his NFL career, but wore No. 80 in college at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

March 11, 2009

While Kevin Burnett was not a starter, he was vital to the Cowboys defense. Burnett was a nickel linebacker who was solid in coverage and a consistent tackler. He always wanted to be a starter but Bill Parcells always believed he would be nothing more than a third-down linebacker. That's all he ever was in Dallas but now gets to compete for a starting job in San Diego.

So who fills in for Burnett? It sounds like it might be new veteransignee Keith Brooking. During an interview Tuesday on 105.3 FM, Jerry Jones said Brooking could be a three-down linebacker. That's not something they could get with Zach Thomas. But can Brooking be productive in that role at 33 in his 12th season?

March 10, 2009

Linebacker Kevin Burnett had little chance of coming back to the Cowboys after the team signed Keith Brooking in free agency.

Now it's official with Burnett signing a free agent deal of his own with the San Diego Chargers.

Burnett, a nickel linebacker and special teams player in Dallas the past four years, will compete for a starting job at inside linebacker with the Chargers.

The move also puts him close to the Los Angeles area home where he grew up.

Burnett thought he was going to sign with the Chargers last week but negotiations stalled and he visited Houston Texans. He and agent Ricky Left never stopped talking to the Chargers, his preferred choice, and they finally got a deal done on Tuesday.

The Cowboys have gotten some help for their depleted safety position by coming to terms with free agent safety Gerald Sensabaugh.

Sensabaugh, who played the last four years in Jacksonville, fortifies a position that has already lost Roy Williams and could lose Keith Davis, who is on a free agent tour of his own. Also keep in mind that Pat Watkins, who started several games at strong safety last year, is still recovering from a neck injury that ended his season.

The Cowboys are so thin at the position that they are moving cornerback Orlando Scandrick to a hybrid free safety position.

Despite the signing, the Cowboys seemingly remain committed to Scandrick at safety and will move Ken Hamlin from free safety to strong safety. Still Sensabaugh bolsters the position in case the Scandrick experiment doesn't work.

He is an experienced strong safety and should give the Cowboys much needed help in run support.

He is also a solid special teams player.

Although he was arrested last month for driving with a suspended license, Sensabaugh comes to Dallas with solid recommendations. Secondary coach Dave Campo coached him in Jacksonville from 2005-2007. Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, who came to the Cowboys from Jacksonville in January, coached him the past two years.

Let's examine the Cowboys' defensive reshuffle....There will be 4 new starters on defense at this point.

(Defensive line)

DE, Marcus Spears

NT, Jay Ratliff

DE, Igor Olshansky (replaces Chris Canty)

(Linebackers)

OLB, DeMarcus Ware

OLB, Greg Ellis/Anthony Spencer

ILB, Bradie James

ILB, Keith Brooking (replaces Zach Thomas)

CB, Terence Newman

CB, Mike Jenkins (replaces Anthony Henry)

FS, Orlando Scandrick??

SS, Ken Hamlin

* Scandrick (5-foot-10, 192 pounds) could be sliding from CB to FS after an impressive rookie season. He's a fearless player with solid coverage skills and extreme confidence but will need more strength and bulk in that role on the base defense.